South Korean thieves happier than police - survey

SEOUL, Jan 30 (Reuters) South Korean gangsters get more satisfaction from their line of work than the police, according to a survey published today in local dailies.

According to the survey conducted among 109 jailed mobsters by the Korean Institute of Criminal Justice, 79.3 percent of gangsters said they were somewhat or very satisfied with their life in organised crime.

About 65 percent of police said they enjoyed their profession, according to a separate survey.

South Korean gangsters make on average about 4 million won 4,255 dollars a month, which is typically higher than the pay for police.

The criminal justice survey said crime syndicates in South Korea get most of their money through traditional methods such as extortion, prostitution and gambling.

But mobsters have been looking to diversify their operations and are trying to muscle their way into shady stock deals or earn a share of corporate mergers and acquisitions, it said.

REUTERS DH RK0805